Canon Digital IXUS 100 IS

Another compact camera — the Canon IXUS 100 IS — joins the rat race of tiny ultra compacts that try to pack as many attractive features, while cutting back on a few integral ones. We got our hands on this smooth-skinned critter, and here's what we think of it...

To start off, the IXUS 100 IS is both tiny and light, measuring 87.0 x 54.5 x 18.4 mm and weighing just 115-grams, placing amongst the most portable ultra compacts out there. The camera's sleek body's covered in smooth, silver powder finish plastic, with sandwiched black plastic in the middle. Its slim exterior hasn't a single edge jutting out, and well burrowed buttons, ensuring that it slides in and out of your pocket with ease.

The top side of the camera cradles the shutter button, around which is a slim zoom toggle ring. Besides it sits a tiny power button. On the facing side of the camera there's the HDMI/USB connector flap, placed at the top left corner. Below it is a three-way toggle switch that helps select between Auto, Scene and Video modes. The preview, function, display and menu buttons are placed around it, along with a 4-way navigation pad. Besides it is the camera's 2.5-inch LCD screen.

Right above the LCD screen rests an extremely tiny optical viewfinder. Since it's to small to serve any practical use, all it's there for is to boost the spec sheet.

With a great finish, a well designed, portable body, decent button placement, and an overall great feel to it, the IXUS 100 IS boasts of great build quality. Does it do equally well where features are concerned? We'll just have to find out...